In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Mike Berghoff, chair of the Purdue University Board of Trustees. 

Since joining the board in 2009 and being appointed chair in 2015, Mike (BS industrial management ’85) has helped lead the university to incredible success and growth while managing significant challenges in the higher education landscape.  

In this celebratory episode, you will: 

• Learn about the initiatives Mike has overseen during his time at Purdue, including the unprecedented 13-year tuition freeze, Purdue’s expansion into Indianapolis, commercial air service returning to the Purdue University Airport, the transformation of the Mitch Daniels School of Business and more. 
• Get to know his Boilermaker journey — from his time as a student to chair of the board, including the professors and mentors that impacted him most and the phone call that changed his life. 
• Discover the moments Mike finds most significant in shaping Purdue’s legacy as the most recognized public university in the country. 
• Hear Mike reflect on what this role has meant to him after making a difference in thousands of Boilermakers’ lives.  
• Find out what he sees for the future of Purdue and what he hopes his legacy will be when he steps down as chair Jan. 1, 2025. 

“Purdue has set some bold initiatives and targets,” says Mike. “It’s been really fun to watch an idea get formulated and implemented by people who are talented and fired up.”  

You don’t want to miss this special episode featuring a renowned Boilermaker leader! 

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Anthony Cawdron, Westwood event coordinator and estate manager, and adjunct hospitality and tourism management faculty member. 

Westwood has been home to four Purdue University presidents and their families since it was donated to the university in 1971, and for the last 24 years, Anthony has been instrumental in the operations of what he calls the “front door to Purdue University.”  

In this third episode of our Boilermaker Bites series, you will: 

• Discover his path from working in several castles in Europe to his time in America and following former President Martin Jischke from Iowa State to Purdue.  
• Explore behind-the-scenes stories of Westwood from its interesting history to what it takes to host events for guests ranging from Boilermaker students and faculty to U.S. secretaries of state. 
• Gain insight into what Anthony teaches his students about networking, job interviews and standing out at professional events through his business etiquette course in Purdue’s White Lodging-J.W. Marriott, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. 
• Get to know how much the Purdue community means to Anthony and why he has stayed here for over two decades.  
• Hear about the honor of Anthony receiving the 2024 Special Boilermaker Award.  
• Learn more of Anthony’s expert etiquette tips for both hosting and attending holiday parties. 

You don’t want to miss this episode, which is jam-packed with expert etiquette tips and historical details about Westwood — one of the landmarks of the Purdue community.  

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Karen Plaut, Purdue University’s executive vice president for research. 

Karen oversees Purdue’s expanding $600 million research enterprise, and under her leadership, researchers from across the university are working together to solve the world’s toughest challenges. 

In this third episode of our 2024 Purdue Research Series, you will: 

• Get to know Karen’s incredible career journey from an animal sciences researcher to lead scientist for NASA’s International Space Station for biological research to dean of Purdue’s prestigious College of Agriculture, which is ranked No. 3 in the country.  
• Learn how interdisciplinary research at Purdue makes both a local and global impact. 
• Discover how Purdue’s expansion into Indianapolis will bolster student research opportunities. 
• Find out how Karen navigates the complexity of leading Purdue’s wide range of research fields including Purdue Computes and AI, One Health, nuclear power, and more. 
• Hear Karen reflect on her most memorable Boilermaker moments and her advice for aspiring researchers. 

Don’t miss this episode with a Boilermaker who is leading our groundbreaking and life-changing research efforts at Purdue. 

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Jennifer Pyrz, president and CEO of IndyGo. 

A Purdue engineering alumna, Jennifer (BS civil engineering ’95, MS civil engineering ’97) was appointed president and CEO of Indiana’s largest public transit agency in May 2024. 

In this episode you will: 

• Discover the advantages Purdue students in Indianapolis can gain from IndyGo buses and transit lines.  
• Learn more about Jennifer’s vision for the future of public transportation in Indianapolis, including the recent opening of IndyGo’s Purple Line and upcoming opening of the Blue Line.  
• Get to know the numerous ways the entire community of Indianapolis benefits from using IndyGo and the importance of having accessible and well-funded transportation in large cities. 
• Find out how Jennifer’s civil engineering degrees from Purdue prepared her to lead IndyGo.  

Don’t miss this episode with a Boilermaker who is using her innovative spirit to advance public transit in a city that hundreds of thousands of people call home.   

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to former NASA astronaut and Purdue University Presidential Ambassador Drew Feustel (BS solid earth sciences ’89, MS geophysics ’91), Purdue professors and NASA contributors Briony Horgan and Marshall Porterfield, and SpaceKids Global founders Marc (BS electrical engineering ’71, MS business and industrial administration ’72) and Sharon Hagle. 

These five Purdue space experts came together for a live panel after Purdue premiered a first-of-its-kind short film — “Boilers to Mars” — in front of a sold-out crowd in Fowler Hall.  

“Boilers to Mars” is a 10-minute film designed to explore what it will take to go first — to take the small steps that lead to the next giant leap. Each character’s persistence in this short film was inspired by our very own Boilermaker students, faculty and alumni. 

In this episode you will: 

• Discover the panelists’ emotional reactions to “Boilers to Mars” and how they saw their own unique experiences in space reflected in the short film. 
• Get to know their experiences traveling to, working in and researching space. 
• Get closer to answering the question “What will it take to go first?” as these panelists share how Boilermakers eventually could lead the way to humankind traveling to Mars.  
• Hear their advice for the next generation of Boilermakers who hope to travel to or work in space one day. 
• Learn more about the mission of “Boilers to Mars” supporting partner SpaceKids Global, which inspires and empowers young people by introducing them to the wide range of careers available in space exploration and technology.  

You don’t want to miss this special live recording celebrating Purdue Brand Studio’s short film “Boilers to Mars” with insights from these Purdue space experts and leaders. 

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to George Karlaftis (BS selling and sales management ’21), Purdue football alum, current defensive end for the Kansas City Chiefs and two-time Super Bowl champion. 

In this episode you will: 

• Follow George’s journey from playing water polo in Athens, Greece, to football at West Lafayette High School in Indiana. 
• Learn what drew George to Purdue football and how he balanced being an All-Big Ten first team athlete with earning a degree in selling and sales management. 
• Discover George’s favorite Purdue moments, including staying close to family and the memorable upset against Michigan State in 2021.  
• Hear about George’s rapid NFL success — from being drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs to winning two Super Bowls in his first two seasons.  
• Get behind-the-scenes insights into his NFL career, including his biggest mentors on the Chiefs and the toughest quarterback he’s faced.  

Whether you’re a Purdue or NFL fan, you don’t want to miss this incredible episode with an alum whose Boilermaker persistence has helped shape him into the two-time Super Bowl champ he is today.  

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Jay Gephart, the Al G. Wright Chair of Purdue Bands & Orchestras, conductor of Purdue Wind Ensemble and director of the “All-American” Marching Band. 

The prestigious marching band is known as the heartbeat of the university, with Jay serving as its fifth director. In this episode you will: 

• Hear about the legacy Jay hopes to leave as he steps down at the end of the 2024 season. 
• Journey around the world celebrating the incredible events where the “All-American” Marching Band has performed, such as the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics; the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin; the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City; and the Indianapolis 500. 
• Discover some of Jay’s favorite band traditions — including the storied “Block P” formation, which has been used since 1907 when the band broke with the tradition of marching exclusively in military formations. 
• Look back on the marching band’s greatest performances from over the years, like the beloved halftime shows, one of which even included an homage to an iconic movie franchise. Hint: Stormtroopers took charge of the World’s Largest Drum, and Purdue Pete Skywalker had to battle Darth Hoosier. 
• Learn who makes the incredible alumni base of the marching band unique — from Neil Armstrong to Orville Redenbacher to the dedicated members who give back again and again and again. 

Don’t miss this episode celebrating Jay Gephart’s leadership and impact on Purdue Bands & Orchestras. 

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Bob Mindrum, former director of the Purdue Memorial Union and author of “Purdue Memorial Union, The First 100 Years, 1924 to 2024.” 

The Purdue Memorial Union — a longtime centerpiece of Purdue’s campus — is celebrating its 100th anniversary on Sept. 9, 2024.  

In this episode you will: 

• Learn about the history of the iconic Purdue Memorial Union from its fundraising efforts in the early 1900s to the newest renovations, like the Purdue Union Club Hotel. 
• Explore the symbolic architecture by Pond & Pond architects, who also designed the unions at the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and the University of Kansas. 
• Discover why PMU became a memorial for the Boilermaker military community and the ways this military significance is represented throughout the Union.  
• Get to know how the Union has served students over the decades from socializing at events like Singleton Shuffles and junior proms to gathering for concerts by popular musicians like Frank Sinatra and Sonny & Cher to studying in the East and West Main lounges. 
• Find out how the PMU will continue to serve future generations of Boilermakers. 

If you’re interested in history, you’re in for a treat with this episode, Boilermakers! Join us in celebrating 100 years of this beloved campus icon. 

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Preeti Sivasankar, Purdue University’s vice president for research innovation and professor in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. 

Societal transformation begins with research, and no one knows this better than Preeti. Since joining Purdue’s faculty 19 years ago, she has contributed to making the department a leader in the field. Purdue is now home to the No. 2 speech-language pathology graduate program and No. 8 audiology graduate program in the country according to U.S. News & World Report. And as the newly appointed vice president for research innovation, she helps lead other Boilermaker researchers as their work continues to impact the world. 

In this second episode of our 2024 Purdue Research Series, you will: 

• Learn more about Preeti’s research in voice disorders, what causes them and how we can prevent vocal strain.  
• Explore how Purdue’s Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, part of the College of Health and Human Sciences, provides students and faculty with unique research opportunities and experiences.  
• Discover how, as vice president of research innovation, Preeti’s approach to interdisciplinary research at Purdue will take our students’ and faculty’s work to the next level. 
• Find out about the mentorship that’s shaping the next generation of researchers and making a significant impact in speech, language and hearing sciences. 
• Hear her debunk common myths about saving our voices and describe what we can do to protect them. 

You don’t want to miss this special episode with this persistent and boundary-pushing Boilermaker! 

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Adriana Harmeyer, clinical assistant professor and archivist for university history, and “Jeopardy!” super-champion.  

In May and June 2024, Adriana earned super-champion status after winning 15 consecutive games of “Jeopardy!” As a longtime fan of this Emmy Award-winning game show, she was able to make her “Jeopardy!” dreams come true thanks to plenty of preparation and persistence. 

In this episode you will: 

• Go behind the scenes of “Jeopardy!” as Adriana shares what it’s like to apply for the show, see the Alex Trebek Stage for the first time and meet host Ken Jennings. You’ll be surprised at how many episodes are filmed each day! 
• Find out how she prepared for the show, found a winning strategy and what she’s expecting from the upcoming Tournament of Champions. 
• Hear about her favorite questions, toughest moments and the most surprising elements about her experience on this popular, long-running show. 
• Discover her favorite, most interesting items in the Purdue University Archives and Special Collections. 

You don’t want to miss this special episode with this Boilermaker “Jeopardy!” star.  

In this episode of “This Is Purdue,” we’re talking to Jan-Anders Mansson, executive director of the Ray Ewry Sports Engineering Center and Distinguished Professor of Materials and Chemical Engineering at Purdue.

Sports engineering affects everyone, from those dedicated to getting their daily steps in to the most decorated Olympic athletes. The Purdue Research Series returns to “This Is Purdue” for a second season to explore how Purdue provides practical solutions to the world’s toughest challenges. In this first episode of the research series, you will: 

• Discover how Jan-Anders’ work at Purdue’s Ray Ewry Sports Engineering Center impacts the Olympic Games, the International Cycling Federation, World Aquatics and more. 
• Learn the three pillars of the Ray Ewry Sports Engineering Center: maximize excitement, ensure safety and establish integrity. 
• Hear about new opportunities for sports engineering at Purdue University in Indianapolis — the city known as the amateur sports capital of the world. 
• Explore how sports engineering serves as a test bed for cutting-edge technologies and the dynamic intersection of fashion and apparels, electronics, and sports. 
• Dive into Purdue’s contributions to the Olympics, including sustainability in 2024 and beyond, the rise of the new virtual cycling event, and the balance between innovation and athlete safety. 

The research done at Purdue University continues to change the world of sports, and Jan-Anders and his team are looking forward to unlocking the future of sports engineering within the Ray Ewry Sports Engineering Center.